Website design and optimization for a pastry shop in Warsaw + online store

Ale Tort is a local Polish confectionery specializing in custom-made cakes, muffins, and other sweets to order. The client reached out with a request to solve a number of technical and functional issues, including website errors, plugin conflicts, and malfunctioning contact forms that prevented customer orders from being delivered.

During the initial analysis, it turned out that the website was built using two page builders simultaneously — Elementor and WPBakery — which caused duplicated functions, numerous errors, and significantly complicated content management. Additionally, the site had many unnecessary plugins that were no longer needed after deciding to use a single builder. The website lacked a consistent visual style, was difficult to edit independently, and did not meet basic SEO requirements.

In the first stage, after consultations and collaboration with the hosting provider, DNS, DKIM, and SPF records were configured, which restored proper email functionality and resolved critical errors. A decision was made to create a new website while fully preserving the structure, content, and main URLs to avoid losing existing SEO traffic and search engine rankings.

Based on the client’s guidelines and the confectionery’s visual identity, a new design for the homepage and key subpages was prepared. A plan was developed for the gradual transition to Elementor, without losing important content or features. The order forms were migrated from Contact Form 7 to Elementor forms, which ensured stability and ease of future edits.

As part of the optimization, unnecessary plugins were removed, eliminating conflicts and significantly improving the website’s loading speed. All images were optimized to the WEBP format, with ALT descriptions and meta tags added to improve Google indexing. Special attention was given to order forms, which now automatically pull information from the selected gallery, simplifying the order process for customers. All pages received proper heading structures, meta data, and SEO microdata. The site’s code was cleaned of conflicting and redundant elements, increasing stability and ensuring future updates wouldn’t overwrite the changes made.

The project was executed through close collaboration between the designer, webmaster, and content manager. As the old site served as a prototype, the client received a discount on the full scope of work. Additionally, a flexible contract was signed, allowing the cost to be spread over several months — which was convenient for the client. All work was completed within the agreed timeframe, with no compromises on quality.